510. YORKSHIRE. 241 



among the male catkins of a neighbouring 

 tree. 



This induced me to confidcr the nature of 

 the materials they colled, and to reflect on 

 whether the different parts of generation, 

 even in hermaphrodite flowers, may not af- 

 ford them diftihct materials. HONEY, it is 

 - well underftood, is collected from the ns8a- 

 rium. WAX may well be confidcred as a 

 collection of the vifcid mucus of the piftil- 

 lum ; as BEE-BREAD appears to be merely an 

 aggregation of the farina of \\iGJlamen. 



It is well underftood by bee-keepers in ge- 

 neral, and is aflerted by \Vildman himfelf, 

 that bees cannot live without bread. That 

 they cannot be kept alive with pure honey 

 a!cne> is, I believe, well afcertained. But be- 

 ney which has been prefied hard from a comb 

 containing bee-bread as well as honey, is con- 

 fidercd as a fafe and certain relief to them 

 when their own (lores are exhaufted. 



Admitting that bees require bread, as well 

 as honey, to fupport them in winter ; and ad- 

 mitting that bee-bread is a collection of the 

 ftamineous farina of flowers ; the phenome- 

 non under notice is eafily explainable. 



VOL. II. R It 



